Ascot joy for Rest of World

GB & Ireland 98-146 Rest of the World

The Rest of the World led from start to finish to win the 2003 Shergar Cup in convincing style on Saturday.

Dougie White (right) wins the first race on Pentecost How the cup was won Gallery: Photos from Ascot

Consecutive 1-2-3's in the first two races set the tone for the Rest of the World, as Great Britain and Ireland failed to justify their status as favourites.

Only champion jockey Keiren Fallon offered any resistance for the hosts, winning two races to claim the individual title.

The competition was over as a contest when Kiwi-born jockey Shane Dye held off a charging Fallon in the fifth race to leave his team needing only a fifth place in the last race to clinch the cup.

The visitors achieved that and more, when Doug Whyte, another Hong Kong-based rider, followed up his victory in the first race, the Mile, with a narrow triumph in the six-furlong Sprint on Move it.

That race told the story of the entire day, as hot favourite Somnus was blocked out and came home in a disappointing fourth place for jockey Kevin Darley and the home team.

Whyte's mount in the Mile was the Andrew Balding-trained Pentecost, who finished fast to pip royal runner Green Line.

Balding was back in the winner's enclosure half an hour later when Fredrik Johansson rode Lochridge to victory in the Distaff.

Ascot is one of the best courses I have ridden at - I would love to come back here in the off-season one day Doug White

"I was just very lucky with the jockeys we got," said Balding.

"Doug is a world-class rider and he gave a world-class ride to Pentecost, who is not an easy horse to ride at all.

"Lochridge is a bit more straightforward, but Fredrik judged the race perfectly."

Fallon did his best to bring his side back into the reckoning and clawed a win back for the home team when Kinnaird took the Juvenile for Yorkshire trainer Pat Haslam.

The filly made the most of an 8lb concession from runner-up Chinsola to win by one and a half lengths.

"Kieren thinks she might be good enough to win a Listed race, which is great news as she wasn't very expensive at 9,000 guineas," said Haslam's wife Ann.

Fallon quickly brought up a double, which was enough to help him seal the Silver Saddle trophy for the meeting's leading rider, when Shabernak took the Stayers in impressive fashion.

The Rest of the World team increased their lead when 20-1 chance Capitano Corelli took the Challenge under Dye.

Dye, who has had a break since the end of the Hong Kong season six weeks ago, admitted to being exhausted at the end of the mile-and-half-contest as the front-runner started to tire.

But he did enough to hold off the challenge of Fallon and Sergeant Cecil.

Doug Whyte was the man of the match - he is world-class, as are all the boys, and it has been a fantastic day Michael Roberts Rest of the World selector

Johansson, who partnered third-placed Muhareb, collected a one-day ban for careless riding (18 August) as he hampered the runner-up.

Proceedings were brought to a close when 9-2 chance Move It completed a double for Whyte.

"I didn't have the best time ever when I came over for this meeting last year," said the South African, who finished second to Fallon in the individual battle.

"But that just makes you more determined to come back and try harder and I have really enjoyed myself.

"Ascot is one of the best courses I have ridden at and although I am contracted to ride in Hong Kong a present, I would love to come back here in the off-season one day."

Former champion jockey Michael Roberts, the team selector for the winners, was understandably delighted with the final result.

"We got a lot of stick, accusing us of picking the wrong horses, but the results speak for themselves," he beamed.

"For me, Doug Whyte was the man of the match. He is world-class, as are all the boys, and it has been a fantastic day."